Is creating your own online course worthwhile?
OK, so you have realised that you have a skill or experience in something that might just be useful to others. Maybe you already teach a class locally, or find that you are always giving people advice about your passion?
The question is … would it be a good idea to create an online course, and try to earn an income from teaching on the internet?
These days it is very common for people to have a range of income streams rather than just one principle career.
With us working later in life, and also looking for a more flexible lifestyle with a healthier work/life balance, the internet presents a very powerful opportunity.
So much of today’s entrepreneurship takes place online, and the democracy of the web means that anybody can start a business, publish a podcast, or even be a freelancer online.
But what would it take to build an online training course, what would it cost, and is it worth it?
Creating an online course
A typical web-based course would offer a number of modules, each with several lessons or chapters, that break down the subject into bite-sized chunks.
The format of those lessons can vary widely, from simple text-based content, to on-demand video-based lectures, and from scheduled webinars to interactive assignments.
Students usually work their way through the course lessons in order, and perhaps undertake various exercises as their knowledge progresses. There may even be a certification offered to students who reach a certain level of aptitude in the skills being taught.
The point is that there is a wide range of styles of online course, and they can be designed to appeal to anyone, from complete beginners through to more experienced students developing their skills.
Who would I be teaching?
In order to develop a course that will have the most appeal, the first thing we have to do is work out who we want to teach?
By focusing on the type of student that we think is most suited for our training, we can decide the level of expertise (novice/ intermediate/ advanced) we are pitching our teaching at.
The level we are aiming at also helps us to decide a suitable price point and length of course.
Teaching online is also not just about making money, it is about connecting with people potentially worldwide, so we have to decide who we think would most benefit from what we have to offer.
What format of lessons would I use?
The formats available to you are really determined by your level of confidence with different technologies (e.g. word processors/video editing) and your access to equipment.
Most of us have use of a computer and word processing application, so text-based lessons are a great start, but these days our phone cameras are so good that it may also be possible to create fairly high-specification video lessons.
As long as the content taught is useful and your delivery is engaging and informative, the actual medium used to teach doesn’t matter. The most important thing is creating a high-quality course that students enjoy.
Where would I host my course?
You have lots of options for where to host your course, depending on how much you want to spend, how ‘professional’ you want it to look, and what commission you are prepared to pay.
The simplest option is hosting the course lessons on your website. This is the most basic method, and perhaps lacks the polish of more dedicated hosting platforms, but might be a good place to start.
Website platforms such as Squarespace offer ‘members only’ website sections and payment processing capabilities so you can give people access to your lessons that way.
Course-specific hosting platforms like Thinkific offer a very polished student experience and lots of useful features like assignment uploading, but come at a price.
The other option is to use a course marketplace like Udemy that works to get your course to as wide an audience as possible, but in exchange takes a relatively large commission off your course fees.
How long would it take to create?
That obviously depends on the style of course, and how in-depth you want it to be.
A course aimed at taking students from a beginner level up to relative competency would obviously need more content than a simple masterclass in a specific technique or set of skills you might want to teach.
The point with online courses is that you can either be heavily involved in the teaching process - e.g. live webinars, marked assignments - or take a much more passive approach. You can create all the course content up front and automate as much of the marketing and student management process as possible.
With the latter approach, the aim is to create a long-term passive income. The trade off for that benefit is that most of the work is done before launch.
Realistically, the process will take a number of months, working on your content part-time. Especially if you want to create something with a high standard……. after all, the better the student experience, the more you will benefit from word of mouth!
What costs are involved?
Assuming that you already own the equipment needed to produce content - computer, word processing software, camera, microphone, e.t.c. - then the ongoing costs to publish your course are as follows:
Custom domain & website fees
Course hosting fees
Payment processor fees (usually a combination of monthly subscription & commission percentage)
Other fees that may be relevant depending on the type of course and how you market it:
Stock photo or video costs
Advertising costs
Webinar hosting platform fees
Although actual monthly costs can vary widely, it is possible to get started with a basic website hosting model costing only around £50 ($60) per month.
Selling your course
Once you have built your inspiring & informative web-based course, you then need to find students…. how do you go about doing that?
It is important to bear in mind that, unlike a locally-hosted live class, there are literally billions of possible students that have the ability to access your awesome training - you just need to let them know about it!
Here are some of the most effective ways of attracting students:
Word of mouth - the best one of all, ex-students who love your training are your greatest advocates
Organic online marketing - blog posts, social media content
Search engines
Digital advertising - e.g. Google ads, Facebook ads
Online communities - Facebook groups, forums
YouTube
Print ads in sector publications
Over time you will begin to discover what works best for your course, and fits in with your life. How much free time you have to dedicate to promoting your course (and how much money you are prepared to invest) will determine which methods are right for you.
Is it worth it?
Definitely. There are so many benefits to developing an eLearning course, and with a bit of determined effort (and the right guidance) you can create something that you are extremely proud of, that has a positive impact on many people, and earns you a passive income for years.
Even if you have never taught before, believe in your knowledge and expertise, and share them with the world :)
5 benefits of becoming a teacher online
Passing on your knowledge is an extremely rewarding activity, especially when sharing your passion.
When set up correctly, an online course can earn you a supplementary income, even while you sleep!
Becoming a teacher will enhance your reputation and credibility in your area of expertise.
Building a presence online will enable you to connect with other people worldwide who share your interest.
What you learn through the process will empower you to make other digital products in the future, enhancing your online earnings.
Receive this FREE ‘Beginner’s Guide to Creating Online Courses’ today
This FREE email mini-series answers some of the most common questions about building your own eLearning course, and includes:
‘Why teach online?’
‘What is involved in creating an online course?’
‘Your first steps towards becoming an online teacher’
